Kevin Gardiner

AICP, Director of Advance Planning

Kevin Gardiner, AICP, has a background in planning and architecture, with nearly three decades of experience in both public service and private consulting. He is involved in all aspects of planning, with a specialization in long-range plans and urban design. He understands the complex relationships between planning policy, design, community input and market issues, and can respond with a range of creative approaches to allow informed decision-making.

Kevin is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, the American Planning Association, the Congress for the New Urbanism, and the Urban Land Institute. He is a skilled public speaker and regularly speaks at events and conferences on topics related to community planning, zoning regulations, housing, and climate adaptation.

Most recently, Kevin was the Community Development Director for the City of Burlingame. The position included oversight of Planning, Building, Economic Development, and Housing divisions. During his tenure he oversaw the city’s first comprehensive update of its General Plan in 50 years, the complete rewrite of the city’s zoning code, and the update of its Housing Element. He also managed a new transit-oriented specific plan for an emerging mixed-use neighborhood and led a pilot community engagement initiative focused on housing called “Burlingame Talks Together About Housing.” Working with the county flood control and sea level rise district, he also oversaw a sea level rise risk assessment, leading to one of the first examples of zoning regulations focused on sea level rise resilience in the Bay Area.

Prior to coming to Burlingame, Kevin was with a series of planning consulting firms, including his own firm Kevin Gardiner & Associates. His work included downtown plans for the Cities of Burlingame and Napa, as well as Scottsdale, AZ; form-based zoning for the City of Palo Alto; re-use plans for two different high-tech districts in Mountain View, California; a conceptual transit-oriented development plan for Eugene, Oregon; and a comprehensive plan for a small town in Indiana.

Kevin’s earlier experience was working in architecture and urban design firms. This included design plans in California, Oregon, Colorado, and Hawaii, as well as various design guideline projects.

Kevin grew up in Arizona, until high school when his family moved to the Peninsula. Over the years he has lived in various Bay Area communities including on the Peninsula, East Bay, Sonoma County, and San Francisco.